The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-10

passions its allies; diligently feeds the
fires of thirst; laughs at reason and
conscience, and breaks through the
mandates of the will as though they
were of little worth. When it arises in
its strength the most solemn resolu-
tions are swept before it, as autumn
leaves are carried by November
storm.
But the third fact shows the fatal
power of intemperance in the clearest
light. Not only does the use of alco-
hol in any form tend to establish o
habit with which the will may not be
able to cope, but it also weakcns the
will A few illustrative examples
guments.
In Robert Burns, one of the bright
est geniuses that Scotland ever knew,
the balance between volition and pas
sion was uncertain, even when he was
at his best. When his father was near
his end, he said that there was one of
his children whose future filed him
with painful anxiety. Robert heard
the remark, and coming to the bed
side, he said: "Oh, father! is it me
that you mean?" The dying man said
that it was so, and Robert turned away
with tears streaming down his cheeks.
The father had noted with pride the
genius Of his boy; but he had also
noted the strong passions with the
weak will, which might drive him on
the shoals of life.
Bat the poet might have lived to
happy ard honored old age had he not
fallen victim to the conviviaity of his
times. Deep drinking weakened his
VIII and constitution. A bottle and u
friend could easily win him from duty
10 drunkenness. He knew his own
weakness, and prophesied what the
end would be years before it came; vet
he yielded his will more and more to
the fatal habit which ensaved him.
How sadly true is the following stanza
of "a Birds Epitaph" descriptive of
himself-written while he yet seemed
to hrve the disposal of his life in his
own hands
| The poor inhabitant below
Was quick to learn and wise to know
And keenly felt the friendly glow,
| And softer flame;
But thoughtiess folies laid him low,
! And stand his name"
The record of his closing years is
very painful reading. because the in
I'rmities of his will becomes more and
more evident.
And one of Americas sweete sing
ers. Edgar Allen Poe, was u man
whose wi was so sadly weakened by
cOhol, that there was no safety for
him except in total abstinence. N. P.
| Willis thus speaks of him:
poe was usually the most quiet,
reg lar and gent emanlike of men, re-
markably neat in his person. elegant
and orderly about his work, and who'll
ly uneXceptonab.e in conduct and de-
meanor. But in weak moment,
tempted, perhaps by friend, or by the
devil, Opportunity, he would take
one glass of wine or liquor. From that
moment he was another being. His
selt-control was gone. An irresistible
thirst for strong drink possessed him,
and he would drink and drink and
drink, MS long as he could lift glass
to his lips. If he could not get good
| liquor, he would drink bad; all he de-
sired was something iiercely stimulate
ing. He would frequently keep this
up for several days and nights. until,
in fact his system was perfectly ex-
hausted, and he had been taken help
less and unressting to bed"
Poets should never touch alciolic
stimulants or seductive drugs. God
has keyed their souls to suf-
iiciently high pitch without the
aid of such dangerous excit-
ants. The opium habit of the roet
Coleridge, furnishes another pathetic
example of impaired will He hated
the vice which had entangled itself
about his will, like the serpents about
the struggling laocoon. When his
friend Colt e begged him to break the
opium habit. and tried to encourage
him to the endeavor. he replied: You
have poured oil into the raw and fest
ering wounds of an old friend con-
science. Cottle; but it is oil of vitriol.
For ten years the anguish of my spirit
has been indescribable, l have prayed,
with drops of agony on my brow
But there is no hope"
Conceive spirit in he'll, employed in
tracing ont for others the road to that
Heaven from which his crimes exclude
him! Coleridge had simply lost will
power. His perception of virtue, his
passion for it remained, indeed was in
tens fled by the evil of vice. Yet he
could not will for virtue!
Now it would be easy to add score
Of cases to those already giyen-all of
them n ell of mark-to show that in
temperance steadily and fatally
weakens the will.
TO sum up the case: Intemperance
intlames tie passions and appetites; it
| forms a habit which may become